Family Tree Tuesday

Ezra Cornell was a founder of Western Union and a co-founder of Cornell University. He also served as President of the New York Agriculture Society and as a state Senator. He was born in Westchester county, NY to Elijah Cornell and Eunice Barnard. He was a cousin of Paul Cornell, the founder of Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. Cornell is also a distant relative of William Cornell, who was an early settler of Scarborough, Ontario and named… Read the full story

Bear Grylls is an English adventurer, writer and television presenter. He is best known for his television series Man vs. Wild or also known as Born Survivor in the United Kingdom. He has done many expeditions, in 2000 he led the first team to circumnavigate the U.K. on a personal watercraft or jet ski, taking about 30 days, to raise money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. He also rowed naked for 22 miles in… Read the full story

Air Commodore Whitney Willard Straight was a Grand Prix motor racing driver, aviator and businessman. He became a well known Grand Prix motor racing driver and competed at events in the UK and Europe. He started competing in 1931 with a Brooklands Riley competing at Shelsley Walsh, Southport and Brooklands circuit. Straight formed his own motor racing team in 1934, personally driving to victory in the South African Grand Prix, held on the 16-mile Buffalo… Read the full story

Patricia Rooney Mara is an American film and television actress. She has starred in the remake of the 1984 horror film, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Social Network and the 2011 version of the film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama for her performance in The Girl with the Dragon… Read the full story

Ricky Nelson was an American singer-songwriter, instumentalist, and actor. He played himself in the radio sitcom series, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet in 1949 which was the start of his entertainment career and he appeared in his first feature film, Here Come the Nelsons in 1952. In 1957, he recorded his first single, debuted as a singer on the television version of the sitcom, and recorded a number one album, Ricky. Nelson was the first… Read the full story

English poet, illustrator, painter and translator, Dante Gabriel Rossetti was the son of émigré Italian scholar Gabriele Pasquale Giuseppe Rossetti and Frances Polidori. He was born in London, England and originally named Gabriel Charles Dante Rossetti. Although his family and friends called him Gabriel, he put the name Dante first in honour of Dante Alighieri. Rosetti founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood in 1848 with William Holman Hunt and John Everett Millai. His work influenced the European Symbolists… Read the full story

Polish novelist, Joseph Conrad was born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski on December 3, 1857 in Berdichev, Kiev Governorate (now Berdychiv, Ukraine). He was born into a highly patriotic, noble Polish family. His father, Apollo Korzeniowski, was a Polish poet, playwright, clandestine political activist and a translator of Alfred de Vigny and Victor Hugo from French and of Charles Dickens and Shakespeare from English. He encouraged his son to read widely in Polish and French. In 1861… Read the full story

Singer and songwriter Enrique Iglesias has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best selling Spanish language artists of all time. He has had five Billboard Hot 100 top five singles, including two number ones, and holds the record for producing 22 number one Spanish-language singles on the Billboard’s Hot Latin Tracks. He won a Grammy Award in 1997 for Best Latin Pop Performance. Iglesias shopped his first demo using the… Read the full story

Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic. He was the first well-known American writer to try to earn a living through his writing alone which resulted in a financially difficult life and career. He had enlisted in the United States Army as a private on May 27, 1827 using the name “Edgar A. Perry” claiming he was 22 years old when he was actually 18. Poe served at fort Independence… Read the full story

Alec Baldwin was born Alexander Rae Baldwin III on April 3, 1958 in Long Island, New York to Alexander Rae Baldwin, Jr., a high school history/social studies teacher and football coach and Carol Martineau, founder of the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Care Center of the University Hospital and Medical Center at Stony Brook, NY. Baldwin is an American actor who has appeared on stage, television and film. He first gained recognition through television for his… Read the full story

Stephen Benét was an American author, poet, short story writer, and novelist. He is best known for his narrative poem of the American Civil War, John Brown’s Body (1928), for which he won a Pulitzer Prize in 1929, and for two short stories, “The Devil and Daniel Webster” (1937) and “By the Waters of Babylon”. Benét was born on July 22, 1898 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to James Walker Benét, a colonel in the United States Army,… Read the full story

Linda Ronstadt Linda Ronstadt is a popular American recording artist and is recognized as one of the most versatile and commercially successful female singers in U.S. history. Once dubbed the Queen of Rock, Ronstadt has earned 11 Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award and a Tony Award nomination. Ronstadt was born on July 15, 1946 in Tuscon, Arizona to Gilbert Ronstadt, a prosperous machinery merchant, and Ruth Copeman. Her father was descended from a pioneering… Read the full story

American architect Frank Lloyd Wright has been largely considered one of the greatest architects of all time. A proponent of organic architecture, Wright designed more than 1,000 projects. Some of his most famous designs include Fallingwater and the Guggenheim Museum. Wright was born on June 8, 1867 in a small farming town in Wisconsin. His father was William Carey Wright, who was an orator, music teacher and minister. His mother was Anna Lloyd Wright, who was a school… Read the full story

American actor, director and producer John Wayne epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. His career spanned five decades, leaving his most lasting impression in American Westerns. In 1999, the American Film Institute named him one of the greatest screen legends of all time. He was born Marion Robert Morrison on May 26, 1907 in Winterset, Iowa. His father, Clyde Leonard Morrison, was a pharmacist. In 1906, he married Mary “Molly” Alberta Brown, a… Read the full story

The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act that enjoyed success in vaudeville and film during the early 20th century. While there were five brothers in total, the act mainly consisted of eldest brothers, Chico, Harpo and Groucho. The comedy trio gained enormous fame for their films and were inducted to the Motion Picture Hall of Fame in 1977. Their parents were Simon “Frenchie” Marx and Minnie Marx. Simon was born in Alsace, France… Read the full story

Author Herman Melville is perhaps best known for his novel, Moby-Dick. Although he achieved some notoriety during his lifetime, Melville’s fame had waned by the time of his death. It was not until after his death that Melville’s work was recognized once again and today, Moby-Dick is considered one of the greatest master pieces of American literature. Melville came from a well-to-do family, with roots that date back to the early history of the United States. He was… Read the full story

Agatha Christie Agatha Christie is one of the best selling mystery novelists of all time. Over her long and distinguished career, Christie published over 90 books and 17 plays, and has been translated into over 100 different languages. Christie was born on September 15, 1890 in England. She was the daughter of Frederick Alvah Miller, a wealthy American, and Clarissa Boehmer Miller, who was the daughter of Frederick Boemher, a British Army captain. In 1914,… Read the full story

F. Scott Fitzgerald is regarded as one of the greatest American authors of the 20th century. Along with writers Ernest Hemingway and T.S. Eliot, he was considered a member of the “Lost Generation,” the 1920s expatriate community in post-war Paris. In 1925, Fitzgerald published his most famous novel, The Great Gatsby, which is still widely read today. Fitzgerald was born on September 24, 1896 in Saint Paul Minnesota. He was named after his famous second cousin… Read the full story

Beloved film actress Audrey Hepburn is perhaps one of the world’s most famous actors of all time. As a film and fashion icon, Hepburn has continued to influence the industry well after her passing. She remains one of the few entertainers to have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony. Her most memorable movies include Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Roman Holiday and Sabrina. In addition to her work in television and film, Hepburn… Read the full story

On August 9, 1854, author Henry David Thoreau‘s most famous novel, Walden, was published. In addition to his work as an author, Thoreau was an accomplished philosopher and abolitionist. As a leading figure of the Transcendentalist movement, Thoreau’s writings inspired many political leaders and reformers including Mahatma Ghandi, President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. Thoreau was born in Concord, Massachusetts on July 12, 1817. His father, John Thoreau, was a pencil maker and… Read the full story

English naturalist Charles Darwin laid the foundation for evolution in his book On the Origin of Species. Published in 1859, Darwin introduced the theory that populations evolved overtime through the process of natural selection. His revolutionary theory has become a fundamental tenet in the life sciences and in explaining the diversity of life. Today, Darwin is considered one of the most influential figures in human history. Born in 1809, Darwin was the fifth of six children of Robert… Read the full story

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali was born as Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. on January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. In 1960, Ali won an Olympic gold medal in boxing after defeating Polish boxer Zbigniew Pietrzykowski. During his professional career, he became the first and only boxer to be named Wold Heavyweight Champion. In 2002, Ali received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the entertainment industry. His star is the only… Read the full story

Aldous Huxley was a prominent English writer best known for his dystopian novel, Brave New World. Well regarded within academic circles, many viewed him as a leader in modern thought. Huxley was born into a highly educated and prominent English family. Members of the Huxley Family found success in various fields, ranging from medicine and science to arts and literature. Huxley was born in Surrey, England to Leonard Huxley, a writer and schoolteacher, and Julia Arnold. His paternal… Read the full story

Orville and Wilbur Wright were two American aviation pioneers, who are credited with inventing the worlds first successful airplane. On December 17, 1903 the brothers succeeded in making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight. In 1906, Orville and Wilbur were granted a patent for their “Flying Machine.” The brothers grew up in a close household, which fostered their creativity. Their success was widely influenced by the support they received from their family. Their… Read the full story

On June 7, 1982, Graceland, the former home of legendary musician Elvis Presley, was opened to the public. Referred to as the “King of Rock and Roll,” Presley revolutionized the music industry and is perhaps one of the most important cultural icons of the 20th century. He has been inducted to four music halls of fame, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. In 1935, Elvis was born in Tupelo, Mississippi to Vernon… Read the full story

American poet Emily Dickinson lived in Amherst, Massachusetts for most of her life. While much of the public was unaware of her writings during her lifetime, Dickinson gained significant prominence after her death. Today, she is one of the most celebrated writers of the 19th century. Her writing style and unconventional use of capitalization and punctuation were unique for the era in which she wrote. Because she lived much of her life in seclusion, Dickinson… Read the full story

Christopher Reeve Christopher Reeve was an American actor, director, screenwriter and author. Although he played many diverse roles throughout his career, he is perhaps best remembered for his portrayal of Superman in four feature films. After a horse riding accident resulted in him becoming a quadriplegic, Reeve spent much of the later part of his life as an advocate of stem cell research. He founded the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, which is dedicated to… Read the full story

Academy award winning actress Katharine Hepburn is hailed as one of the greatest actresses in film history. Hepburn holds the record for the most Oscar wins, with a total of 4 wins out of 12 nominations. Hepburn was born on May 12, 1907 in Hartford, Connecticut to a wealthy family. Her father, Thomas Hepburn, was a prominent surgeon and Connecticut’s first urologists. He co-founded the American Social Hygiene Association, which was dedicated to educating the public about… Read the full story

American actor Humphrey Bogart is considered one of the greatest screen legends in the history of film. During his 30 year career, Bogart appeared in 75 films. He may be best remembered for his role in the classic 1942 film, Casablanca. In 1960, Bogart was posthumously given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Humphrey Bogart was born in New York City to Dr. Belmont DeForest Bogart and Maud Humphrey. His father was a wealthy cardiopulmonary surgeon… Read the full story

Jesse James was an infamous American outlaw of the Wild West. He is portrayed in American folklore as a Robin Hood-like figure, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. During the Civil War, Jesse and his brother Frank fought as Confederate guerrilla soldiers. After the war, they joined up with Cole Younger and his brothers to form the James-Younger Gang. The gang carried out a string of robberies, robbing banks, stagecoaches and trains…. Read the full story

Anthony Perkins (1932-1992) was an American actor best known for his role as Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. In 1957, Perkins received an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor for is role in the film, Friendly Persuasion. In recognition of his contributions to the film industry, Perkins received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Perkins was born in New York City to Janet Esselstyn Rane and Osgood Perkins. His father was a prominent American… Read the full story

On April 12, 1861, South Carolina used force remove the U.S. army from their facilities in Charleston. Known as the Battle of Fort Sumter, it marked the beginning of the American Civil War. Two days after the battle, President Abraham Lincoln called for thousands of volunteers to crush the Southern rebellion. Four years later, the Confederate forces were defeated by the Union army. Through his leadership and resolve, Lincoln successfully preserved the Union and brought an… Read the full story

Henry Ford was an American industrialist and founder of the Ford Motor Company. By implementing the assembly line technique of mass production, Ford revolutionized the automobile industry. This new business technique was called “Fordism,” the mass production of inexpensive goods in conjunction with high wages for workers. Ford would become one of the richest men in the world. Ford was born on July 30, 1863 on a family farm in Michigan to William Ford and Mary Litogot and… Read the full story

On March 29, 1961 Nelson Mandela was acquitted of treason charges after a four year trial, known as the Treason Trial. Actively involved in the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, Mandela was arrested again in 1962 and imprisoned for 27 years. During his imprisonment, Mandela built his reputation as one of the most significant leaders in South Africa. He was finally released from prison on February 11, 1990. After his release, Nelson Mandela continued to… Read the full story

Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American philosopher, essayist and poet, who was instrumental in leading the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. Emerson believed in individualism and the need for harmony between man and nature. A staunch supporter of the abolitionist movement, Emerson gave a number of lectures calling for the abolition of slavery. Emerson was born on May 25, 1803 to Ruth Haskins and Reverend William Emerson in Boston, Massachusetts. His father was one… Read the full story

Three time Oscar winning actress Ingrid Bergman was born in Stockholm, Sweden on August 29, 1915. Bergman first began her career appearing in Swedish and European films and made a successful transition to American cinema. Considered one of the greatest actresses of all time, Bergman would be best remembered for her role opposite Humphrey Bogart in the classic 1942 film, Casablanca. In addition to her three Academy Awards, she earned throughout her career two Emmys… Read the full story

Today is the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, a global celebration of the achievements of women. First celebrated in Germany in 1911, the holiday is now recognized on March 8 of each year by over 100 different countries. The holiday observes women’s struggle for equality and empowerment throughout history. In honor of the holiday, today’s Family Tree Tuesday highlights Susan B. Anthony, one of the most prominent figures of the women’s rights movement in… Read the full story

Oscar winning actor and director George Clooney is best known for his roles on the television show ER and movies such as Ocean’s Eleven, Syriana and Good Night, and Good Luck which he co-wrote and directed. Clooney has also devoted much of his time to his humanitarian work, raising awareness for the conflict in Darfur and raising funds for several recent natural disasters throughout the world. Clooney was born on May 6, 1961 to parents Nick and… Read the full story

J. Paul Getty was an American industrialist and founder of the Getty Oil Company. Getty’s father, George, was a lawyer and successful oilman, amassing a great fortune at the time of his death. After taking over the family business, J. Paul Getty’s successes in the oil industry made him one of the richest men in the world. An avid collector of arts and antiquities, Getty founded the J. Paul Getty Museum, which holds an impressive… Read the full story

During his career, legendary actor John Barrymore was hailed as one of the greatest performers on the screen and stage. He is remembered for his highly lauded interpretations of Shakespeare’s Richard III and Hamlet. For his contributions to the motion picture industry, Barrymore was posthumously given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Barrymore was born on February 15, 1882 into a theatrical family. His parents were Broadway stage actors Maurice Barrymore and Georgiana Drew…. Read the full story

Born Francis Albert Sinatra, Sinatra was an American singer and motion-picture actor who became one of the most sought-after performers in the entertainment industry. Sinatra enjoyed a multitude of success in both music and film. In 1953, he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film From Here to Eternity. Sinatra was the only child of his Italian immigrant parents. His father, Anthony Martin Sinatra was a fireman and professional boxer,… Read the full story

Newspaper tycoon and politician William Randolph Hearst was the leading newspaper publisher of the late 19th century and early 20th century. Through his newspapers and magazines, Hearst exercised enormous political influence over the American public. During the late 19th century, Hearst engaged in a bitter circulation war with Joseph Pulitzer‘s New York World, which led to the creation of yellow journalism. Nevertheless, Hearst successfully created one of the largest newspaper and magazine businesses in the… Read the full story

American actress Grace Kelly is widely considered one of the greatest screen legends in the history of cinema. Kelly starred in several films by Alfred Hitchcock, including Dial M for Murder, Rear Window and To Catch a Thief, her last collaboration with the director. Kelly’s father John Brendan Kelly, Sr. was an accomplished oarsmen, winning three Olympic Gold Medals, and a self made millionaire. Her other notable relatives include her uncles, Walter C. Kelly, a prominent vaudeville star, and George… Read the full story

Yesterday the U.S. celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Observed on the third Monday of January each year, the holiday honors and remembers Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., an iconic figure and leading activists of the United States Civil Rights Movement. King used nonviolent methods to successfully protest racial discrimination in federal and state law. In 1964, King became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end racial discrimination through civil… Read the full story

Oscar winning actor Nicolas Cage comes from one of Hollywood’s most legendary families. Born Nicolas Kim Coppola, Cage changed his name early in his career to avoid the appearance of nepotism as the nephew of acclaimed director Francis Ford Coppola. Cage’s cousin, Sofia Coppola became the first American woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director for her film, Lost in Translation. His aunt Talia Shire is also an Oscar-nominated actress and producer…. Read the full story

Ernest Hemingway was an American novelist, short story writer and journalist. During World War I, Hemingway drove ambulances for the Red Cross until he was wounded. He was later a part of the 1920s expatriate community in Paris, which included other notable writers such as Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound and T. S. Eliot. He, along with others of his generation, are referred to as the “Lost Generation.” Coined by Gertrude Stein and popularized by Hemingway… Read the full story

On December 28th, 1991 Ted Turner was named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year. His known as being the ex-husband of Jane Fonda and as founder of CNN, the first 24-hour cable news channel. His profile is one of many included in The Hollywood Walk of Fame project. He has over 5,000 blood relatives already included on Geni. Are you one of them?